Ekpre-Olomu will be the only returning starter in the defensive secondary after the losses of senior safeties Avery Patterson and Brian Jackson, and the early departure of junior cornerback Terrance Mitchell.

Ekpre-Olomu was projected by many to have been a late first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

“The two main factors related to my decision to return were my continued progression as a person and a player, and I felt Oregon was my best option to achieve those goals and improve my situation for next year,” Ekpre-Olomu told GoDucks. “I should be able to finish my degree by next fall, possibly by the end of the summer. Football is only one phase of who I am; my degree will be forever. Secondly was my ability to make an impact and become a top (draft) pick, and I felt staying one more year would only help me.”